Enabling and configuring the Asset console

The following video (3:01) shows how to add a new column to the asset console.

https://youtu.be/tCuwQ8Hkq0I

The following video (3:45) shows how to add an asset class to the asset console.

https://youtu.be/Vkxsr8K2GEw

Before you begin

• Make sure the BMC Helix Innovation Suite server base URL is specified for the com.bmc.arsys.smartit>*>innovation_suite.base.url CCS parameter as described in Setting configuration parameters in BMC Helix ITSM.
• Make sure the Mid-Tier, Smart IT, Digital Workplace, and DWP Catalog entry point URLs are specified for the com.bmc.arsys.server.shared>*>IFrame-Allowed-Sites CCS parameter as described in Setting configuration parameters in BMC Helix ITSM.
• In BMC Helix Innovation Studio, make sure you have selected the Best Practice mode.
• If you want to customize the Asset console, you have to create your own view.
  For more information, see To create a view by copying a default view.

To enable or disable the Innovation Studio based Asset console

As a new customer onboarding BMC Helix ITSM, the BMC Helix Innovation Studio-based Asset Console is enabled by default. To view the classic Asset Console, you must set the value of the enableISAssetConsole CCS parameter to FALSE.

You can enable or disable the BMC Helix Innovation Studiobased Asset console by following the below steps:

1. In a browser, enter the following URL address to access the AR System:
   http://midTierServer:portNumber/arsys/
2. Select AR System Administration > AR System Administration Console.
3. Select System > General > Centralized Configuration.
4. From Component Name, select com.bmc.arsys.smartit > *.
5. Enter enableISAssetConsole in the Setting Name column.
6. Perform one of the following steps:

• • Enter true in the Setting Value column to enable the Asset console
  • Enter false in the Setting Value column to disable the Asset console. 

To configure the Discovery URL

You can use BMC Helix ITSM to gain insights into service models in BMC Helix Discovery and BMC Helix CMDB in real time. For more information, see Exploring-asset-relationships.

To view the Dynamic Service Model and DSM Node Topology links in BMC Helix ITSM, make sure that either interoperability is configured, or Discovery URL is configured. Multiple discovery systems can be integrated with CMDB. So, you must configure which BMC Helix Discovery server base URL to be used for authentication and integration.

1. From the menu bar in BMC Helix ITSM, select Configuration > Innovation Studio Configuration.
2. In the Settings pane, select Common Configuration > General.
3. In Discovery URL, specify the BMC Helix Discovery server base URL.
   
   

Customizing Asset Console views

In BMC Helix Innovation Studio, a view definition is a graphical representation of an application. The BMC Helix Innovation Studio based Asset Console uses view definitions or views that define the console's user interface. You can customize a view by arranging the data items in a specific order or showing only specific items. To customize the out-of-the-box views, you must create a new view by copying a default view.

You can access the views from the Manage Views section under Screen Configuration in Innovation Studio Configuration in BMC Helix ITSM. The default views are displayed inside the placeholder views in the Manage Views section. For example, Asset Console is a placeholder view for the main interface of Asset Console. Default Asset Console SM is the actual view that defines the console's interface. When you copy this default view, the copied view name is displayed inside the placeholder view.

The following default views are available for customization out of the box for Asset console:

To create a view by copying a default view

You can customize the Asset console by customizing the views. To customize a view, you must create a new view first by copying a default view.

1. From the menu bar in BMC Helix ITSM, select Configuration > Innovation Studio Configuration.
2. In the Settings pane, select Screen Configuration > Manage Views.
3. Click in the default Asset console view that you want to customize.
   
   
4. Click Copy default view.
5. Enter a view name. For example, enter Custom Asset Console.
6. Click Copy. 
7. Click Activate.

The Asset console uses the new view that you created only after you click Activate. You can click Edit to further customize the view.

To add a column to the Asset console grid

Any newly added field or any field that is not visible in the Asset console must be added to the Asset console record grid, to make it visible in the Asset console.

1. In the customized view that you created by copying a default view, click Edit.
2. Select Record grid > Properties > Edit grid columns.
3. In Available columns, click   <column name>.
4. In Selected Columns, select Visible for the newly added column.
   
5. Click Save.

You can customize the Asset console record grid by adding columns to the grid, enabling sorting, filtering of the columns, and so on. For more about information about record grid, see Creating a tabular view of record instances by using a record grid. 

To customize view presets

You can edit the defined filters in the view presets or add any new field to the view presets. For example, you can edit the Status filter in the Printers view preset to show the printers in inventory instead of the printers deployed.

1. In the customized view that you created by copying a default view, click Edit.
2. Select Record grid > Properties > Edit view presets.
3. Expand the preset that you want to modify.
4. Click Edit grid columns.
   
5. Click the column that you want to add to the preset, and select Visible.
6. Click Save.
7. Click Filter. Add or delete filters to the preset.
8. Click Apply filters.

To add an asset class to the custom record definition

The Asset console CRD includes Computer System as a Source Record Definition out of the box, along with the Base Element class. The attributes specific to Computer System are already mapped to their respective source fields. If you need to add a class specific attribute of any other asset class to the CRD, you must first add the asset class to Asset Console CRD.

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab. 
2. Click Applications.
   
3. Click ITSM Application.
4. On the Records tab, click Asset Console CRD.
   
5. To add a record definition, click Add Source Record Definition.
   
6. In the Add Record Definition dialog box, from the Record Definition Name list, select the source record definition and click Save.
7. Select any field and in the FIELD MAPPINGS section, click Add/Remove Field Mappings.
   The Add/Remove Field Mappings window displays sections for each of the source record definitions you have selected.
8. Select the source record definition, and from the Source Field list, select the source field that you want to map with the selected field.
   
9. Click Save.
10. Repeat steps 7, 8, 9 to map all the fields to their respective source fields.

11. (Optional) If you want to delete the source record, click the close icon.
    

    Important

    When you delete a source record, all the fields in the source record and their mapping to the custom record definition are deleted.

To add new fields to the custom record definition

1. Click New Field in Asset Console CRD, and select the required datatype for the field.

2. In the Details section, provide the following details for the field:

   Field	Description
   (Optional) Named List	Select the named list that you want to associate with the record field.
   Description	Enter the description for the record field.
   (Optional) Field ID	Enter the field ID for the field. If you leave this field blank, the field ID is generated automatically.
   Name	Enter the name of the record field.

3. In the FIELD MAPPINGS section, click Add/Remove Field Mappings, select the source record definition, and from the Source Field list select the source field that you want to map the newly added field.
   At runtime, the newly added field displays the data from the field that you selected from the Source Field list.
4. Click Save. 

Selection fields provide users with a group of options from a list. A selection field can be for a single selection or for multiple selection. To add field mapping for selection fields, see Creating or modifying custom record definitions.

To avoid duplicate entries when you add an asset class

If you add an asset class to the source record definition, you must exclude the class from being queried in Base Element to avoid the duplicate entries in the console.

1. From the menu bar in BMC Helix ITSM, select Configuration > Innovation Studio Configuration.
   
2. In the Settings pane, select Asset Console Configuration > Classes Excluded from Base Element.
3. Click Add new setting.
4. Enter the asset class to be excluded in the Class Name field. If an asset class has sub-classes, add the sub-classes along with the asset class.
   For example, in the below image you can see that the sub-classes of Computer System are also added to the list of Classes to be excluded from Base Element.